Unlocking Strength Within: How Nurturing Spirituality Can Boost Life with Parkinson’s

In October 2025, the American Parkinson Disease Association (APDA) hosted a thought-provoking webinar titled “Unlocking Strength Within: Strengthening Spirituality to Improve Quality of Life with PD.” The session featured Kim Beuerman, a board-certified Spiritual Care Provider and staff chaplain, who explored how spirituality—our personal search for meaning, purpose, and connection—can play a powerful role in life with Parkinson’s. Kim made it clear that spirituality isn’t the same as religion, though the two can overlap. Instead, it’s about finding what makes you feel most alive, whether that’s connecting with nature, a higher power, friends and family, pets, or communities that support you. Nurturing this part of ourselves can improve quality of life for people with Parkinson’s and their care partners, easing mood-related challenges such as depression, apathy, and anxiety. A Holistic Approach to Health Kim highlighted the COPE PD model (Comprehensive Outpatient Palliative Care for Parkinson’s Disease), which looks at health as a blend of five interconnected areas: physical, emotional, social, spiritual, and practical. Overlooking the spiritual side can intensify pain and distress, affecting overall well-being. The Science of Spirituality Evidence shows that people with Parkinson’s who engage with their spiritual side often experience better non-motor symptoms, including mood, cognition, sleep, and fatigue. They cope better with grief and loss, while care partners report increased resilience, meaning, and joy. Spirituality can act like a mental and emotional boost, helping both the person with PD and their loved ones navigate the challenges of the disease. Facing Loss and Grief Living with Parkinson’s often involves losses—autonomy, roles, ambitions, and sometimes identity. Kim stressed the importance of acknowledging these feelings rather than suppressing them. Allowing yourself to feel sadness, without judgment, is part of the journey toward healing and resilience. Four Ways to Strengthen Spirituality 1. Professional Spiritual Support: Healthcare chaplains or trained spiritual counsellors can help process distress, find hope, and affirm self-worth. 2. Life Review: Guided approaches like Dignity Therapy let you reflect on life experiences, achievements, and lessons, creating a lasting personal legacy. 3. Goal Setting for the Future: Reconciling past activities with current wishes and limitations helps foster joy and hope. This includes advanced care planning centred on what matters most. 4. Meditation and Mindfulness: Practices such as centering prayer or mindful breathing can boost dopamine, improve balance, lift mood, and enhance cognitive function. Hope and Resilience Strengthening your spiritual side isn’t just about comfort—it’s about building resilience. It allows individuals to accept their circumstances, look beyond challenges, and maintain gratitude, humour, and courage. Hope becomes a practical tool for moving forward positively. This webinar offered a compassionate, practical look at a side of health often overlooked in Parkinson’s care. By actively nurturing spirituality, both people with Parkinson’s and their care partners can find renewed meaning, stronger resilience, and a better quality of life.